


Stitching Us Together

by Lady_Phenyx



Series: Whumptober 2019 [14]
Category: Mumintroll | Moomins Series - Tove Jansson, 楽しいムーミン一家 | Moomin (Anime 1990)
Genre: Don't copy to another site, Major Character Injury, Mild Blood, Multi, Springtime Trio - Freeform, Stitches, ask to tag
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-11
Updated: 2019-10-11
Packaged: 2020-12-09 09:57:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20992913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Phenyx/pseuds/Lady_Phenyx
Summary: After an accident, Snorkmaiden is hurt badly. Badly enough to need stitches, and Moominmamma's nowhere to be found. Now, it's up to Snufkin.It's questionable who it hurts more.Whumptober Day 11: Stitches





	Stitching Us Together

It was a beautiful, sunny day in Moomin Valley.

It had been several years since they had found and repaired a boat abandoned on the beach, and the group – Moomin, Snorkmaiden, Snufkin, Sniff, and Little My – were considered more than old enough, so close to adulthood as they were, to go out on their own in it for a bit.

A day trip, to a small island nearby, too small to be inhabited but just the right size for picnics and adventures.

They were within sight of the island when disaster struck.

Dark clouds had been forming on the horizon and even Snufkin, who enjoyed storms, was trying to get the ship to shore before it hit.

The seas grew choppier with every minute, the winds picking up until they had to lower the sail or risk the mast being pulled from the boat.

They scrambled to lower the sail, barely able to see what they were doing as the rain lashed at them, and weren't quite fast enough.

A particularly hard gust and a huge wave hit them at the same time, catching the half-lowered sail and twisting them in the water.

The boat went tumbling, flying, thrown up onto the beach with a terrible crash.

There was a moment of stunned quiet before Snorkmaiden began to scream.

\---XXX---

There was so much blood.

That was all Moomin could think, staring at his girlfriend in terrified shock.

Beside him, Snufkin scrambled to his feet, fighting against the storm to get to Snorkmaiden's side, Moomin half a step behind.

Snorkmaiden's leg was bleeding, cut by something from the boat, wood, a rock, they couldn't tell. It didn't matter.

She had stopped screaming, and somehow, that was scarier than when she had been.

“Little My, get my pack!” Snufkin yelled into the storm. “There's a cave this way, come on!”

He bent down, sliding his arms under Snorkmaiden's. Moomin got under her legs, wincing as she grabbed onto Snufkin's shoulders, her claws digging in as she fought with pain.

Snufkin winced, but didn't protest, hurrying to carry her into the cave and its dubious shelter.

\---XXX---

Outside, the storm raged, rain lashing against the ground, branches whipping in the wind. Going into it felt like each raindrop were a stone flung at them, and not even Little My could stand against the wind.

Inside, Snorkmaiden was trying not to cry, but huge tears welled up and trickled down her cheeks despite that, her fur a deep, sickly yellow with pain and edging with the blue green of fear.

The fire finally caught, wood that had been blown under trees or in the cave, found by a quickly working Sniff and Little My, needed now to see by. Snufkin put down the matches he'd used – no time to wait for flint and steel, not now when Snorkmaiden was hurting so, and thank everything in the world that his pack had narrowly missed a dunking, that everything inside it was still dry – and hurried to her side.

Moomin held her paw, holding back his own pain at how tightly she was squeezing his paw, ears tilted back in distress at Snorkmaiden's pain.

Snufkin hid his own distress, knowing someone needed to stay calm. He could fall apart later, once they were all safe, when it was all over.

“Sniff, get some water boiling,” he said, only a faint tremor in his voice betraying him. “We'll need it clean to wash this out. Little My, there's a first aid kit in my bag, Moominmamma put it in there so you'll know it when you see it.”

He took Snorkmaiden's free paw, squeezing it. “You're going to be all right,” he said. “We're here for you.”

“I wish Moominmamma were here,” Snorkmaiden whispered.”I'm sorry, I...”

“I wish she were here too,” Snufkin said, patting her paw. They shared a look, each of them knowing why. There was something calming, comforting, about Moominmamma – no matter what happened, so long as she was there, it seemed like everything would turn out all right.

The water finally started to boil as Little My brought over the first aid kit. Unable to put it off any longer, Snufkin pulled a clean cloth from the kit.

“Little My? Sniff? There's a kettle in my things, if you could brew this into a tea,” Snufkin said, holding out one of the small packs labeled in Moominmamma's neat writing. “It's for pain. It's the strongest one I've got. It might taste a little of coffee,” he said apologetically to Snorkmaiden. “Coffee tends to flavor most cookware after awhile, and I can't carry separate things for brewing.”

“I...I like coffee,” Snorkmaiden said, her voice hitching on a stab of pain.

“I have to get this clean,” Snufking warned her, worlds of apology in his voice. “Moomin, ready? Snorkmaiden, I'm sorry, this is going to hurt.”

Snorkmaiden was pale under all her fur colors, but she nodded. Moomin bent over her, whispering encouragement as Snufkin started cleaning away the blood from around the wound in her leg.

It wasn't long, but it was deep, deeper than Snufkin had thought. Snorkmaiden hissed and sobbed as he cleaned it, as gently as he could, carefully cleaning away blood and the bits of dirt and wood that had made their way into the cut.

He was finishing it when Sniff crept closer, holding Snufkin's mug. “It looks like what the instructions said it should,” he said nervously. Snufkin glanced into the mug, judging the color, and nodded.

“Smell's right, too. Good job, Sniff. Snorkmaiden, here, it might not taste very good but it'll help.”

She sniffled again and took the mug. “Sorry I'm being such a baby,” she said.

“You're not. She's not,” Snufkin said before Moomin could speak up, the second to Little My. “You're being so brave right now, Snorkmaiden.”

“It's okay to cry,” Moomin said, patting Snorkmaiden's paw. “You should see some of the people who come to see Moominmamma and the fuss they raise.”

Little My watched for a moment before joining in on comforting Snorkmaiden, a little clumsily but heartfelt.

Snufkin, meanwhile, dug into the first aid kit, staring at the small package he pulled out. Right at this moment he wished Moominmamma were here, more than he'd ever wished for an 'authority' figure before in his life.

He set the needle to disinfect in a cup of boiling water, turning back to Snorkmaiden. “I...” he had to take a deep breath, steeling himself for what he was about to say. “Snorkmaiden, it's deep. It's too deep. It needs...it needs stitches, and we can't wait until we get back to Moomin Valley.”

“But...it'll hurt,” Moomin protested faintly.

“It'll be worse if we don't. The tea will help, but it's...”

“Still going to hurt,” Snorkmaiden finished.

Snufkin nodded, his paws clasped so tightly he was hurting himself, tail curling in close with distress. “I'm sorry.”

A steely look came into Snorkmaiden's eyes and she threw back the last of the tea. “Get it over with.”

“We need to give the tea a minute to work, and for the needle to be sterile,” Snufkin said.

The cave was tensely silent as Snufkin turned back to the fire, pouring what was left of the water into his pot and digging out soap. He pulled off his smock, hearing Little My poke Sniff when he started to comment on it, and rolled up his sleeves before starting to wash, scrubbing his arms as well as his paws.

He didn't want to do this. He knew why it had to be done – it would get worse if he didn't, cause Snorkmaiden more pain in the long run, she could bleed out – but great sea he didn't want to be the one to do it.

No one else could, and that was what it came down to. Maybe if Moomin had to he could, but...

No more putting it off. If the tea were going to work, it would have by now.

“Ready, Snorkmaiden?” Snufkin asked, needle at the ready. She managed a tearful nod, Little My taking her free paw. “Little My, get my handkerchief. There, Snorkmaiden, biting down on that might help. I'm so sorry,” he said again.

“I know,” she said. She managed a very wobbly, wet smile. “I trust you.”

She bit down on the handkerchief then. Snufkin looked at the shining point of the needle and swallowed before making the first stitch.

Despite the tea, Snorkmaiden still sobbed with each stitch, clinging to Moomin and Little My, and they all wished she would pass out, to save all of them from the pain.

Each sob and stitch tore at Snufkin and Moomin's hearts the worst, and Snufkin had to try and ignore them, setting each stitch as carefully as possible, as quickly as he could, but he couldn't rush this or he would have hurt her for no purpose.

Ten stitches it took to close the wound before Snufkin could knot off the thread. He washed off the cut, and it was ugly still but closed and clean now.

“It's done,” he said, looking down at his shaking, bloody paws. “I...I need to wash. I...” he stood, hurrying to the opening to the cave as Moomin moved, starting to wrap the wound in a clean bandage.

Snufkin stood in the lashing rain, shielded from the worst of it, letting the rain wash away blood and tears alike, jumping when a paw touched his shoulder.

“Come back inside,” Moomin said softly. Snufkin followed him in, finding that Sniff and Little My had refilled the pot and set it to boil again while Snorkmaiden wiped at her face with his handkerchief.

She held out a paw to Snufkin, who went to kneel by her side, taking her paw and holding it close.

“Maybe I am as vain as people say I am, but I hope it doesn't scar,” Snorkmaiden said, still wobbly, tears still trickling down her face, but the worst of it over.

“You were so brave,” Snufkin said again, squeezing her paw and rubbing it against his cheek in a moment of pain inspired bravery. “I...”

“If you apologize again, I'll dye your hair while you sleep,” Snorkmaiden threatened, sniffling. “Little My will help me.”

“I will!” Little My chimed in from behind them, startling soggy chuckles from Moomin and Snufkin alike.

“Just...” she hesitated, tears welling up again before asking, “I know you don't like being touched much, but will you cuddle with me for a bit? You and Moomin?”

Wordlessly Snufkin slid his arm around Snorkmaiden, sliding down to recline next to her and curl into her side while Moomin mimicked him on her other side.

Snufkin kissed her paw, suddenly feeling both emboldened and humbled. “You're a remarkable Snork,” he said softly.

Snorkmaiden flushed pink around the edges, the blue green of fear fading though the sickly yellow of pain remained, if lighter than earlier.

\---XXX---

They all fell into an uneasy sleep, awoken by calls of their names. Little My darted out of the cave, the storm gone while they slept, bringing back Moominmamma and Moominpappa, Snork, and Too-Ticky.

Snorkmaiden was exclaimed over, Moominmamma inspecting the stitches as Snork worried.

“You'll be fine,” Moominmamma declared, to general relief, and Snufkin finally slumped against Snorkmaiden, the fears he'd kept at bay put to rest at last. “These are very good, especially considering the conditions. You should barely scar, and your fur will hide it.”

Moominpappa and Too-Ticky had been creating a stretcher while Moominmamma checked Snorkmaiden, and now they eased her onto it, helped by Snufkin and Moomin.

Snufkin hurried to repack his bag, helped by Little My, and yanked his smock back on before hurrying to catch up with the rest.

Snorkmaiden was settled into the boat gently, Moomin fussing over her as the boat was cast off and they began the trip back to Moomin Valley.

Snorkmaiden held out her paw, reaching for Snufkin, and he carefully sat beside her. Pulling out his harmonica, he began a soft tune, comforting them all as they headed home.

\---XXX---

Snorkmaiden was laid up for a week by her leg, and had to be cautious for a month after before Moominmamma declared her fully healed.

It was a tedious time, especially once the pain tonics were mostly unnecessary, the pain dying down until she only remembered how badly she'd been hurt when she moved wrongly and was sharply reminded.

The compensation was how Moomin and, to her surprise, Snufkin, treated her almost like a princess in a tower as she recovered, bringing her flowers from outside, and teas (to her surprise, Snufkin had a small variety in his pack, from the lands he'd traveled to, flavors she had never imagined, and promised to bring back more next spring), and reading to her.

The three of them spent hours talking with the window open so Snufkin wouldn't feel trapped, with Little My and Sniff popping in and out at whim.

She and Snufkin had both forgotten how much they enjoyed each other's company, even without Moomin there. If there was one good thing to come out of this whole mess, it was that.

And, Snorkmaiden would only admit to her diary, it was good to see the guilt lifting from Snufkin's eyes when they spent time together. It seemed that hurting her had hurt his heart as badly as it had hurt her leg, and she found herself willing to do most anything to ease the pain in his heart even as the pain in her leg was eased by time and comfort.

It felt like something blooming between the two of them, and she had to decide if she would encourage it or redirect its growth.

With the guilty way Snufkin and Moomin sometimes glanced at each other, setting Moomin down for a long talk was the only choice she could make.

And the way Snufkin blushed when she brought it up, gave him the choice, the quiet joy shining in his eyes as she asked him to date them both?

It was almost worth all the pain that brought them there.


End file.
